HEADLINES

Steelers Unlikely To Trade Chase Claypool?

October 25th, 2022 at 3:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

Diontae Johnson and Antonio Brown have been exceptions for the modern Steelers, who usually move on from wide receivers during or after their rookie contracts. One of the many productive wideouts to come through Pittsburgh in recent years, Chase Claypool is being rumored as a departure candidate ahead of his contract year even beginning.

Mentioned in trade rumors at multiple junctures over the past week, Claypool is one of the buzzier relocation candidates ahead of next week’s deadline. Teams continue to look into the big-bodied receiver, per Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post. But Claypool should not be expected to be moved, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic writes.

The Steelers bucked their years-long trend of moving on from receivers after their rookie deals by extending Johnson at $18MM per year. Johnson is signed through 2024, while second-round pick George Pickens is locked in through 2025. Claypool’s rookie pact runs through 2023, and Pickens’ emergence has helped produce the rumblings Claypool could be available. The Steelers are even believed to have made the 238-pound target available this summer, but it is clear they are aiming for a strong offer.

One of the many Day 2 wideout draftees to flash while in Pittsburgh, Claypool appears likely in the early stages of an audition. With Johnson signed, Pickens chosen and the prospect of the Steelers hitting on yet another second- or third-round receiver looming, Claypool’s second contract will likely come from another team. But the Steelers are keen on keeping as many weapons around Kenny Pickett as possible, La Canfora adds. A trade would obviously interfere with that goal.

Pittsburgh separated from multiple starting wideouts via trade during Kevin Colbert‘s GM run, sending Santonio Holmes to the Jets and dealing Martavis Bryant to the Raiders. They also traded Sammie Coates to the Browns in 2017. Current GM Omar Khan was in Pittsburgh’s front office for these moves.

Claypool, 24, has back-to-back 850-plus-yard seasons on his resume, which has naturally made him an attractive trade piece. For now, a Johnson-Claypool-Pickens aerial corps stands to help Pickett progress. Claypool has seen his yards-per-catch average crater post-Ben Roethlisberger; it sits at 9.5 (28 catches, 266 yards, one touchdown) through seven games. Still, unless the Steelers are blown away, it seems likely Claypool will enter his 2023 contract year on the team that drafted him.

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